Vertical transistor devices for embedded memory and logic technologies

ABSTRACT

Vertical transistor devices are described. For example, in one embodiment, a vertical transistor device includes an epitaxial source semiconductor region disposed on a substrate, an epitaxial channel semiconductor region disposed on the source semiconductor region, an epitaxial drain semiconductor region disposed on the channel semiconductor region, and a gate electrode region surrounding sidewalls of the semiconductor channel region. A composition of at least one of the semiconductor regions varies along a longitudinal axis that is perpendicular with respect to a surface of the substrate.

TECHNICAL FIELD

Embodiments of the invention are in the field of semiconductor devicesand, in particular, vertical transistor devices for embedded memory andlogic technologies.

BACKGROUND

For the past several decades, the scaling of features in integratedcircuits has been a driving force behind an ever-growing semiconductorindustry. Scaling to smaller and smaller features enables increaseddensities of functional units on the limited real estate ofsemiconductor chips. For example, shrinking transistor size allows forthe incorporation of an increased number of memory devices on a chip,leading to the fabrication of products with increased capacity. Thedrive for ever-more capacity, however, is not without issue. Thenecessity to optimize the performance of each device becomesincreasingly significant.

Classical transistor scaling makes designing a transistor with higherdrive current and/or lower leakage current increasingly difficult.Planar transistors suffer from the disadvantage of being difficult tobuild an asymmetric transistor in which engineering the source can beindependent from engineering at the channel and drain ends of thetransistor.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates a vertical transistor device having an effective massthat is varied from a source end of a channel to a drain end of thechannel in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 illustrates a simulation of the vertical transistor device 100having an effective mass that is varied from a source end of a channelto a drain end of the channel in accordance with one embodiment of thepresent invention.

FIG. 3 illustrates a conventional vertical transistor device.

FIG. 4A illustrates a method of forming a vertical transistor device inaccordance with one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4B illustrates a vertical stack 401 of transistor layers inaccordance with one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4C illustrates a vertical transistor device 450 in accordance withone embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4D illustrates a vertical transistor device 470 in accordance withone embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5A illustrates a vertical stack 500 of transistor layers inaccordance with one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5B illustrates a vertical transistor device 550 in accordance withone embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5C illustrates a vertical transistor device 570 in accordance withone embodiment of the present invention.

Generally, FIG. 6 illustrates a vertical transistor device 600 inaccordance with one embodiment of the present invention.

Generally, FIG. 7 illustrates a vertical transistor device 700 inaccordance with one embodiment of the present invention.

Generally, FIG. 8 illustrates a vertical transistor device 800 inaccordance with one embodiment of the present invention.

Generally, FIG. 9 illustrates a vertical transistor device 900 inaccordance with one embodiment of the present invention.

Generally, FIG. 10A illustrates a vertical transistor device 1000 with athyristor-like architecture in accordance with one embodiment of thepresent invention.

Generally, FIG. 10B illustrates current characteristics of a verticaltransistor device 1000 with a thyristor-like architecture in accordancewith one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 11 illustrates an energy bandgap for when WF1 is the same as WF2.

FIG. 12 illustrates an energy bandgap for when WF1 and WF2 are differentin accordance with one embodiment.

FIG. 13 illustrates a vertical transistor device 1300 in accordance withone embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 14 illustrates a diagram showing changes in work function in a gatein accordance with one embodiment.

FIG. 15 illustrates a computing device in accordance with oneimplementation of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

Designs for vertical field effect transistors are described. In thefollowing description, numerous specific details are set forth, such asspecific integration and material regimes, in order to provide athorough understanding of embodiments of the present invention. It willbe apparent to one skilled in the art that embodiments of the presentinvention may be practiced without these specific details. In otherinstances, well-known features, such as integrated circuit designlayouts, are not described in detail in order to not unnecessarilyobscure embodiments of the present invention. Furthermore, it is to beunderstood that the various embodiments shown in the Figures areillustrative representations and are not necessarily drawn to scale.

In one embodiment, a vertical transistor device includes a channel, asource region, and a drain region that can be controlled independently.Changes are introduced in a channel of a vertical transistor device in acontrolled manner in such a way that a source end of the channel candiffer significantly in composition from the channel and a drain end ofthe channel. This vertical transistor device increases a drive currentwhile not increasing the off-state leakage current, or decreases an offstate leakage current while not significantly decreasing the drivecurrent of the device. The vertical transistor device can include anenhanced injection velocity layer at the source end, a channel that isstrained through use of different materials for the channel incomparison to source and drain regions, or a channel that is strainedmonotonically between source and drain ends by use of a single channelmaterial or material with a composition that varies along the channelfrom the source end to the drain end. The vertical transistor device mayinclude a channel that includes both of a source injection region andone or more channel change as discussed above. These changes can beimplemented in group IV materials (e.g., Si, Ge, SiGe, etc.) or III-Vmaterials or a combination of group IV and III-V materials. The verticaltransistor device may also change a work function of a gate when movingfrom a source end of the channel to a drain end of the channel.Generally, embodiments described herein may be suitable for highperformance or scaled transistors for embedded memory and logic deviceshaving low power applications.

FIG. 1 illustrates a vertical transistor device having an effective massthat is varied from a source end of a channel to a drain end of thechannel in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. Thevertical transistor device 100 includes a source region 100, a channel120, a drain region 130, a gate region 140, and a dielectric region 150.In one embodiment, the source region 100 has an effective mass materialMeff2 and the channel and drain regions have a different effective massmaterial Meff1. Meff2 have a higher effective mass than Meff1 (e.g.,Meff2 may be approximately equal to 2*Meff1). A higher effective massmeans a higher density of states which results in more electroninjection into the channel and more drain current. The gate length maybe fixed at 15 nanometers (nm) while the body thickness 122 isapproximately 5 nm.

FIG. 2 illustrates a simulation of the vertical transistor device 100having an effective mass that is varied from a source end of a channelto a drain end of the channel in accordance with one embodiment of thepresent invention. The simulation may be performed with Non-EquilibriumGreen's Function (NEGF) quantum transport of the device 100. The curve210 represents the characteristics of a control transistor having Meff1throughout the source, channel, and drain regions. The curve 220represents a transistor 100 in which a source region has a highereffective mass (e.g., Meff2) while the channel and drain regions have alower effective mass (e.g., Meff1). The curve 220 for a transistor withdifferent effective masses has a drive current (ID) that isapproximately 50% greater than a drive current of the control transistorat Vg equal to 0.5 volts. The curve 220 has approximately the same orthe same off state leakage current in comparison to curve 210.

FIG. 3 illustrates a conventional vertical transistor device. The device300 includes a substrate 302 (bottom contact), a n+ source region 310, ap-type channel region 320, a n+ drain region 332, a top contact 340, anda gate region 341. This device 300 can be fabricated by first doping then+ drain region with an ion implantation, etching a vertical pillar,doping the n+ source region 310 and substrate with another ionimplantation, and the forming the gate region 342. The channel region isnearly identical at source and drain ends of the channel. The implantedions may have a distribution (e.g., Gaussian) in the implanted layer andmay have defects caused by the implant. An anneal such as a hightemperature 1000 C dopant activation rapid thermal anneal will be neededto repair some of the implant damage and to activate dopants. Theresulting distribution of implanted ions is typically broad.

FIG. 4 a illustrates a method of forming a vertical transistor device inaccordance with one embodiment of the present invention. At block 403,the method 400 includes depositing (e.g., epitaxial, CVD, MO-CVD, PVD,ALD, etc.) a source or drain layer (e.g., n+ Silicon) on a substrate(e.g., bottom contact). At block 404, a channel layer (e.g., p-type) isdeposited (e.g., epitaxial, CVD, MO-CVD, PVD, ALD, etc.) on the sourceor drain layer. At block 405, a drain or source layer (e.g., n+ Silicon)is deposited (e.g., epitaxial, CVD, MO-CVD, PVD, ALD, etc.) on thechannel layer. At block 406, a top contact is deposited on the drain orsource layer. At block 407, one or more photolithographic operations areperformed for patterning the deposited layers. One or more photoresistor hard masking layers (e.g., nitride, oxide) may be used for patterningthe deposited layers. At block 408, the top contact, drain or sourcelayer, channel layer, and source or drain layer are etched to form animplantless vertical stack that includes a top contact region, a drainregion with sidewalls (or source region with sidewalls), a channelregion with sidewalls, and a source region with sidewalls (or drainregion with sidewalls) disposed on the substrate. At block 409, a gatelayer is deposited and etched to form a gate region that wraps aroundexposed sidewalls of the channel region. This method 400 provides forcontrol of the fabrication of the transistor itself with practicallymonolayer control as the stack is being built from the substrate to thesource to the channel to the drain (or from the substrate to the drainto the channel to the source). The vertical transistor device has alongitudinal axis perpendicularly oriented to a surface plane of acrystalline substrate 402 as illustrated in FIGS. 4B and 4C. Thedepositing of the channel layer may include modifying growth conditionsto vary a semiconductor composition across a thickness of the channelsemiconductor layer.

FIG. 4B illustrates a vertical stack 401 of transistor layers inaccordance with one embodiment of the present invention. A source layer410 (e.g., n+ Silicon) is deposited (e.g., epitaxial, CVD, MO-CVD, PVD,ALD, etc.) on a substrate 402 (e.g., bottom contact). A channel layer420 (e.g., p-type) is deposited (e.g., epitaxial, CVD, MO-CVD, PVD, ALD,etc.) on the source layer 410. A drain layer 430 (e.g., n+ Silicon) isdeposited (e.g., epitaxial, CVD, MO-CVD, PVD, ALD, etc.) on the channellayer 420. A top contact 440 is deposited on the drain layer 430. Inanother embodiment, the drain and source layers are switched (i.e., thedrain layer 430 is deposited on the substrate, the channel layer 420 isdeposited on the drain layer 430, the source layer 410 is deposited onthe channel layer 420, and the top contact 440 is deposited on thesource layer 410).

FIG. 4C illustrates a vertical transistor device 450 in accordance withone embodiment of the present invention. After one or morephotolithographic operations, the top contact, drain layer, channellayer, and source layer of the vertical stack 400 of FIG. 4B are etchedto form an implantless vertical stack that includes a top contact region441, a drain region 431, a channel region 421 with sidewalls 422-425,and a source region 411 disposed on the substrate 402. The verticaltransistor device 450 has a longitudinal axis 461 perpendicularlyoriented to a surface plane of the crystalline substrate 402. In anotherembodiment, the drain and source layers are switched (i.e., animplantless vertical stack includes a top contact region 441, a sourceregion 411, a channel region 421 with sidewalls 422-425, and a drainregion 431 disposed on the substrate 402) and thicknesses of theselayers adjusted if appropriate for a particular design.

FIG. 4D illustrates a vertical transistor device 470 in accordance withone embodiment of the present invention. A gate layer is deposited andetched to form a gate region 442 that wraps around the channel region421 with sidewalls 422-425. In one embodiment, the source, channel, anddrain layers are epitaxially deposited in-situ. The layers are activatedupon deposition and have sharp interface junctions in contrast to ionimplanted regions of conventional vertical transistors that need a hightemperature anneal and do not have sharp interface junctions between theimplanted dopants. The vertical transistor device 470 has a longitudinalaxis 461 perpendicularly oriented to a surface plane of the crystallinesubstrate 402. In another embodiment, the drain and source layers areswitched (i.e., the drain layer 431 is deposited on the substrate, thechannel layer 420 is deposited on the drain layer 431, the source layer411 is deposited on the channel layer 421, and the top contact 441 isdeposited on the source layer 411) and thicknesses of these layersadjusted if appropriate for a particular design.

FIG. 5A illustrates a vertical stack 500 of transistor layers inaccordance with one embodiment of the present invention. A source layer510 (e.g., n+ Silicon) is deposited (e.g., epitaxial, CVD, MO-CVD, PVD,ALD, etc.) on a substrate 502 (e.g., bottom contact). A strained channellayer 520 (e.g., p-type) is deposited (e.g., epitaxial, CVD, MO-CVD,PVD, ALD, etc.) on the source layer 510. A drain layer 530 (e.g., n+Silicon) is deposited (e.g., epitaxial, CVD, MO-CVD, PVD, ALD, etc.) onthe channel layer 520. A top contact 540 is deposited on the drain layer530. In another embodiment, the drain and source layers are switched(i.e., the drain layer 530 is deposited on the substrate, the channellayer 520 is deposited on the drain layer 530, the source layer 510 isdeposited on the channel layer 520, and the top contact 540 is depositedon the source layer 510) and thicknesses of these layers adjusted ifappropriate for a particular design.

FIG. 5B illustrates a vertical transistor device 550 in accordance withone embodiment of the present invention. The top contact, drain layer,strained channel layer, and source layer of the vertical stack 500 ofFIG. 5A are etched to form an implantless vertical stack that includes atop contact region 542, a drain region 532, a strained channel region522, and a source region 512 disposed on the substrate 502. The strainedchannel region 522 includes sidewalls 523-526. The vertical transistordevice 550 has a longitudinal axis 560 perpendicularly oriented to asurface plane of the crystalline substrate 502. In another embodiment,the drain and source layers are switched (i.e., an implantless verticalstack includes a top contact region 542, a source region 512, a strainedchannel region 522, and a drain region 532 disposed on the substrate502) and thicknesses of these layers adjusted if appropriate for aparticular design.

FIG. 5C illustrates a vertical transistor device 570 in accordance withone embodiment of the present invention. A gate layer is deposited andetched to form a gate region 542 that wraps around the strained channelregion with sidewalls 523-526. In one embodiment, after the source isdeposited, the channel is selectively deposited, either with a materialof similar composition such as Si drain/source with SiGe channel forGroup IV materials. In another embodiment, InAs source/drain regions areformed with an InGaAs channel. The lattice constant of the epitaxiallydeposited materials (e.g., strained channel) can be adjusted to strainthe lattice, which results in higher electron/hole mobility. Thevertical transistor device 570 has a longitudinal axis 560perpendicularly oriented to a surface plane of the crystalline substrate502. In another embodiment, the drain and source layers are switched(i.e., the drain layer 532 is deposited on the substrate, the channellayer 522 is deposited on the drain layer 532, the source layer 512 isdeposited on the channel layer 522, and the top contact 542 is depositedon the source layer 512) and thicknesses of these layers adjusted ifappropriate for a particular design.

Generally, FIG. 6 illustrates a vertical transistor device 600 inaccordance with one embodiment of the present invention. A top contact(e.g., p-type contact), drain layer (e.g., n+ drain), graded channellayer, and source layer (e.g., p+ source) of a vertical stack are etchedto form an implantless vertical stack that is disposed on a substrate602 (e.g., bottom contact). The vertical device 600 includes a topcontact region 640, a drain region 630, a graded channel region 620, anda source region 610 disposed on the substrate 602. A gate layer isdeposited and etched to form a gate region 642 that wraps aroundsidewalls (e.g., 4 sidewalls) of the graded channel region. In oneembodiment, after the source is deposited, the graded channel isselectively deposited, either with a material of similar compositionsuch as Si source with SiGe channel and drain for Group IV materials. Inanother embodiment, III-V materials are used such as an InAs sourceregion that is formed with a graded InGaAs channel and drain region. Thevertical transistor device 600 has a longitudinal axis 660perpendicularly oriented to a surface plane of the crystalline substrate602. In another embodiment, the drain and source layers are switched andthicknesses of these layers adjusted if appropriate for a particulardesign.

Generally, FIG. 7 illustrates a vertical transistor device 700 inaccordance with one embodiment of the present invention. A top contact(e.g., p-type contact), drain layer (e.g., n+ drain), graded channellayer, and source layer (e.g., p+ source) of a vertical stack are etchedto form an implantless vertical stack that is disposed on a substrate702 (e.g., bottom contact). The vertical device 600 includes a topcontact region 740, a drain region 730, a channel region 720, a sourceinjector region 712, and a source region 710 disposed on the substrate702. A gate layer is deposited and etched to form a gate region 742 thatwraps around sidewalls (e.g., 4 sidewalls) of the channel region andsidewalls of the source injector region. In one embodiment, after thesource is deposited, the source injector region is deposited, eitherwith Ge injector region at the source end of a Si or SiGe transistor. Inanother embodiment, III-V materials are used such as an InAs injectorsource region at source end of a InGaAs III-V transistor. The verticaltransistor device 700 has a longitudinal axis 760 perpendicularlyoriented to a surface plane of the crystalline substrate 702. In anotherembodiment, the drain and source layers are switched and thicknesses ofthese layers adjusted if appropriate for a particular design.

Generally, FIG. 8 illustrates a vertical transistor device 800 inaccordance with one embodiment of the present invention. A top contact(e.g., p-type contact), drain layer (e.g., n+ drain), strained channellayer, a source injector layer, and a source layer (e.g., p+ source) ofa vertical stack are etched to form an implantless vertical stack thatis disposed on a substrate 802 (e.g., bottom contact). The verticaldevice 800 includes a top contact region 840, a drain region 830, astrained channel region 820, a source injector region 812, and a sourceregion 810 disposed on the substrate 802. A gate layer is deposited andetched to form a gate region 842 that wraps around sidewalls (e.g., 4sidewalls) of the channel region and sidewalls of the source injectorregion. In one embodiment, after the source is deposited, the sourceinjector region is deposited, either with Ge injector region at thesource end of a Si or SiGe transistor. In another embodiment, III-Vmaterials are used such as an InAs injector source region at source endof a InGaAs III-V transistor. The vertical transistor device 800 has alongitudinal axis 860 perpendicularly oriented to a surface plane of thecrystalline substrate 802. In another embodiment, the drain and sourcelayers are switched and thicknesses of these layers adjusted ifappropriate for a particular design.

Generally, FIG. 9 illustrates a vertical transistor device 900 inaccordance with one embodiment of the present invention. A top contact(e.g., p-type contact), drain layer (e.g., n+ drain), strained/gradedchannel layer, a source injector layer, and a source layer (e.g., p+source) of a vertical stack are etched to form an implantless verticalstack that is disposed on a substrate 902 (e.g., bottom contact). Thevertical device 900 includes a top contact region 940, a drain region930, a strained/graded (bandgap engineered) channel region 920, a sourceinjector region 912, and a source region 910 disposed on the substrate902. A gate layer is deposited and etched to form a gate region 942 thatwraps around sidewalls (e.g., 4 sidewalls) of the channel region andsidewalls of the source injector region. In one embodiment, after thesource is deposited, the source injector region is deposited, eitherwith Ge injector region at the source end of a Si or SiGe transistor. Inanother embodiment, III-V materials are used such as an InAs injectorsource region at source end of a InGaAs III-V transistor. The verticaltransistor device 900 has a longitudinal axis 960 perpendicularlyoriented to a surface plane of the crystalline substrate 902. In anotherembodiment, the drain and source layers are switched and thicknesses ofthese layers adjusted if appropriate for a particular design.

Generally, FIG. 10A illustrates a vertical transistor device 1000 with athyristor-like architecture in accordance with one embodiment of thepresent invention. A top contact (e.g., p-type contact), drain layer(e.g., n+ drain), a base layer (e.g., p-type), a base layer (e.g.,n-type), and a source layer (e.g., p+ source) of a vertical stack areetched to form an implantless vertical stack that is disposed on asubstrate 1002 (e.g., bottom contact). The vertical device 1000 includesa top contact region 1026, a drain region 1024, base regions 1022 and1020, and a source region 1010 disposed on the substrate 1002. A gatelayer is deposited and etched to form a gate region 1040 that wrapsaround sidewalls (e.g., 4 sidewalls) of the base region 1022. Thevertical transistor device 1000 has a longitudinal axis 1060perpendicularly oriented to a surface plane of the crystalline substrate1002.

Generally, FIG. 10B illustrates current characteristics of a verticaltransistor device 1000 with a thyristor-like architecture in accordancewith one embodiment of the present invention. The diagram 1050illustrates a high forward breakover voltage (Vfb) for a low gatevoltage and a lower Vfb for a high gate voltage. The junction betweenthe source and n-base region and the junction between the n-base regionand p-base region are designed to be more diffuse junctions in contrastto sharp junctions of the vertical devices described herein.

FIG. 13 illustrates a vertical transistor device 1300 in accordance withone embodiment of the present invention. The device 1300 includes acontact region 1340, a drain region 1330, a channel region 1320, asource region 1310, and a substrate 1302. A first gate layer isdeposited and etched to form a first gate region (gate 1 with workfunction 1) that wraps around sidewalls of a portion of a source region1310. A second gate layer is deposited and etched to form a second gateregion (gate 2 with work function 2) that wraps around sidewalls of thechannel region 1320. The gate layers 1 and 2 have different workfunctions. Thus, these gate materials introduce work function changes inthe gate along the channel of the vertical device.

FIG. 14 illustrates a diagram showing changes in work function in a gatein accordance with one embodiment. The upper right corner of the diagram1400 shows a data point for WF1=WF2. The other data points showdifferent work function differences (e.g., 0.1 eV, 0.2 eV, 0.5 eV) forthe gate closest to a drain region. Increasing WF2, which corresponds toincreasing barrier height, decreases OFF current on a log scale whiledecreasing ON current on a linear scale. FIG. 14 illustrates largedecreases in OFF current for relatively small decreases in drivecurrent.

FIG. 11 illustrates an energy bandgap for when WF1 is the same as WF2.The energy barrier height decreases from curve 1110 (Vd=Vg=0) to curve1120 (Vd=1, Vg=0) to curve 1130 (Vd=Vg=1).

FIG. 12 illustrates an energy bandgap for when WF1 and WF2 are differentin accordance with one embodiment. The energy barrier height decreasesfrom curve 1210 (Vd=Vg=0) to curve 1220 (Vd=1, Vg=0) to curve 1230(Vd=Vg=1). The curves 1210, 1220, and 1230 have a lower energy barrierheight in comparison to corresponding curves 1110, 1120, and 1130,respectively.

The vertical transistor devices of the present disclosure have beenillustrated having a top contact region, a drain region, a channelregion, a source region, and a gate region with rectangular dimensionsthough other geometric shapes are possible depending on thephotolithographic operations and design requirements. The drain andsource regions may be switched for any of the vertical transistordevices of the present disclosure.

In the above described embodiments, whether formed on virtual substratelayers or on bulk substrates, an underlying substrate used for verticaltransistor device manufacture may be composed of a semiconductormaterial that can withstand a manufacturing process. In an embodiment,the substrate is a bulk substrate, such as a P-type silicon substrate asis commonly used in the semiconductor industry. In an embodiment,substrate is composed of a crystalline silicon, silicon/germanium orgermanium layer doped with a charge carrier, such as but not limited tophosphorus, arsenic, boron or a combination thereof. In anotherembodiment, the substrate is composed of an epitaxial layer grown atop adistinct crystalline substrate, e.g. a silicon epitaxial layer grownatop a boron-doped bulk silicon mono-crystalline substrate.

The substrate may instead include an insulating layer formed in betweena bulk crystal substrate and an epitaxial layer to form, for example, asilicon-on-insulator substrate. In an embodiment, the insulating layeris composed of a material such as, but not limited to, silicon dioxide,silicon nitride, silicon oxy-nitride or a high-k dielectric layer. Thesubstrate may alternatively be composed of a group III-V material. In anembodiment, the substrate is composed of a III-V material such as, butnot limited to, gallium nitride, gallium phosphide, gallium arsenide,indium phosphide, indium antimonide, indium gallium arsenide, aluminumgallium arsenide, indium gallium phosphide, or a combination thereof. Inanother embodiment, the substrate is composed of a III-V material andcharge-carrier dopant impurity atoms such as, but not limited to,carbon, silicon, germanium, oxygen, sulfur, selenium or tellurium.

In the above embodiments, although not always shown, it is to beunderstood that the vertical transistor devices include gate stacks witha gate dielectric layer and a gate electrode layer. In an embodiment,the gate electrode of gate electrode stack is composed of a metal gateand the gate dielectric layer is composed of a high-K material. Forexample, in one embodiment, the gate dielectric layer is composed of amaterial such as, but not limited to, hafnium oxide, hafniumoxy-nitride, hafnium silicate, lanthanum oxide, zirconium oxide,zirconium silicate, tantalum oxide, barium strontium titanate, bariumtitanate, strontium titanate, yttrium oxide, aluminum oxide, aluminiumoxide, lead scandium tantalum oxide, lead zinc niobate, or a combinationthereof. Furthermore, a portion of gate dielectric layer may include alayer of native oxide formed from the top few layers of thecorresponding channel region. In an embodiment, the gate dielectriclayer is composed of a top high-k portion and a lower portion composedof an oxide of a semiconductor material. In one embodiment, the gatedielectric layer is composed of a top portion of hafnium oxide and abottom portion of silicon dioxide or silicon oxy-nitride.

In an embodiment, the gate electrode is composed of a metal layer suchas, but not limited to, metals, metal alloys, metal nitrides, metalcarbides, metal silicides, metal aluminides, hafnium, zirconium,titanium, tantalum, aluminum, ruthenium, palladium, platinum, cobalt,nickel or conductive metal oxides. In a specific embodiment, the gateelectrode is composed of a non-workfunction-setting fill material formedabove a metal workfunction-setting layer. In an embodiment, the gateelectrode is composed of a P-type or N-type material. The gate electrodestack may also include dielectric spacers.

The vertical semiconductor devices described above cover both planar andnon-planar devices, including gate-all-around devices. Thus, moregenerally, the semiconductor devices may be a semiconductor deviceincorporating a gate, a channel region and a pair of source/drainregions. In an embodiment, semiconductor device is one such as, but notlimited to, a MOS-FET. In one embodiment, semiconductor device is aplanar or three-dimensional MOS-FET and is an isolated device or is onedevice in a plurality of nested devices. As will be appreciated for atypical integrated circuit, both N- and P-channel transistors may befabricated on a single substrate to form a CMOS integrated circuit.Furthermore, additional interconnect wiring may be fabricated in orderto integrate such devices into an integrated circuit.

FIG. 15 illustrates a computing device 1900 in accordance with oneimplementation of the invention. The computing device 1900 houses aboard 1902. The board 1902 may include a number of components, includingbut not limited to a processor 1904 and at least one communication chip1906. The processor 1904 is physically and electrically coupled to theboard 1902. In some implementations the at least one communication chip1906 is also physically and electrically coupled to the board 1902. Infurther implementations, the communication chip 1906 is part of theprocessor 1904.

Depending on its applications, computing device 1900 may include othercomponents that may or may not be physically and electrically coupled tothe board 1902. These other components include, but are not limited to,volatile memory (e.g., DRAM), non-volatile memory (e.g., ROM), flashmemory, a graphics processor, a digital signal processor, a cryptoprocessor, a chipset, an antenna, a display, a touchscreen display, atouchscreen controller, a battery, an audio codec, a video codec, apower amplifier, a global positioning system (GPS) device, a compass, anaccelerometer, a gyroscope, a speaker, a camera, and a mass storagedevice (such as hard disk drive, compact disk (CD), digital versatiledisk (DVD), and so forth).

The communication chip 1906 enables wireless communications for thetransfer of data to and from the computing device 1900. The term“wireless” and its derivatives may be used to describe circuits,devices, systems, methods, techniques, communications channels, etc.,that may communicate data through the use of modulated electromagneticradiation through a non-solid medium. The term does not imply that theassociated devices do not contain any wires, although in someembodiments they might not. The communication chip 1906 may implementany of a number of wireless standards or protocols, including but notlimited to Wi-Fi (IEEE 802.11 family), WiMAX (IEEE 802.16 family), IEEE802.20, long term evolution (LTE), Ev-DO, HSPA+, HSDPA+, HSUPA+, EDGE,GSM, GPRS, CDMA, TDMA, DECT, Bluetooth, derivatives thereof, as well asany other wireless protocols that are designated as 3G, 4G, 5G, andbeyond. The computing device 1900 may include a plurality ofcommunication chips 1906. For instance, a first communication chip 1906may be dedicated to shorter range wireless communications such as Wi-Fiand Bluetooth and a second communication chip 1906 may be dedicated tolonger range wireless communications such as GPS, EDGE, GPRS, CDMA,WiMAX, LTE, Ev-DO, and others.

The processor 1904 of the computing device 1900 includes an integratedcircuit die 1910 packaged within the processor 1904. In someimplementations of the invention, the integrated circuit die of theprocessor includes one or more devices 1912, such as vertical transistordevices built in accordance with implementations of the invention. Theterm “processor” may refer to any device or portion of a device thatprocesses electronic data from registers and/or memory to transform thatelectronic data into other electronic data that may be stored inregisters and/or memory.

The communication chip 1906 also includes an integrated circuit die 1920packaged within the communication chip 1906. In accordance with anotherimplementation of the invention, the integrated circuit die of thecommunication chip includes one or more devices 1921, such as verticaltransistor devices built in accordance with implementations of theinvention.

In further implementations, another component housed within thecomputing device 1900 may contain an integrated circuit die thatincludes one or more devices, such as vertical transistor devices builtin accordance with implementations of the invention.

In various implementations, the computing device 1900 may be a laptop, anetbook, a notebook, an ultrabook, a smartphone, a tablet, a personaldigital assistant (PDA), an ultra mobile PC, a mobile phone, a desktopcomputer, a server, a printer, a scanner, a monitor, a set-top box, anentertainment control unit, a digital camera, a portable music player,or a digital video recorder. In further implementations, the computingdevice 1900 may be any other electronic device that processes data.

Thus, embodiments of the present invention include vertical transistordevices having a channel, a source region, and a drain region that canbe controlled independently. Changes are introduced in a channel of avertical transistor device in a controlled manner in such a way that asource end of the channel can differ significantly in composition fromthe channel and a drain end of the channel.

In an embodiment, a vertical transistor device includes an epitaxialsource semiconductor region disposed on a substrate, an epitaxialchannel semiconductor region disposed on the source semiconductorregion, an epitaxial drain semiconductor region disposed on the channelsemiconductor region, and a gate electrode region surrounding sidewallsof the semiconductor channel region. A composition of at least one ofthe semiconductor regions varies along a longitudinal axis that isperpendicular with respect to a surface of the substrate.

In one embodiment, the source semiconductor region can have a highereffective mass than that of the channel and drain semiconductor regions.The effective mass of the source semiconductor region may beapproximately twice an effective mass of the channel and drainsemiconductor regions.

In one embodiment, the channel semiconductor region has a compositionalvariation between a first interface with the source semiconductor regionand a second interface with the drain semiconductor region.

In one embodiment, the compositional variation further includes agrading of the channel semiconductor region throughout the epitaxialfilm thickness.

In one embodiment, the channel semiconductor region includes a SiGealloy with the Ge content being higher at the first interface than atthe second interface. Alternatively, the channel semiconductor includesa In alloy, and the In content is higher at the first interface than atthe second interface.

In one embodiment, the channel semiconductor is silicon or a SiGe alloy.The high mobility injection region can be disposed on the sourcesemiconductor region and is composed of Ge.

In one embodiment, the compositional variation may further include agrading of the channel semiconductor region from the high mobilityinjection region to the second interface.

In one embodiment, the channel semiconductor region is a differentsemiconductor material in comparison to the source and drainsemiconductor regions.

In one embodiment, a vertical transistor device includes an epitaxialsource semiconductor region disposed on a substrate, an epitaxialchannel semiconductor region disposed on the source semiconductorregion, an epitaxial drain semiconductor region disposed on the channelsemiconductor region, and a gate electrode region surrounding sidewallsof the semiconductor channel region. A composition of the gate electroderegion varies along a longitudinal axis that is perpendicular withrespect to a surface of the substrate.

In one embodiment, a composition of the gate electrode that is incontact with the gate dielectric varies along the longitudinal axis todifferentiate a work function from a first level proximate to the sourcesemiconductor region to a second level proximate to the drainsemiconductor region. A work function of the gate electrode is greaterproximate to the drain semiconductor region than proximate to the sourcesemiconductor region.

In one embodiment, the gate electrode composition is graded from a firstalloy composition proximate to the source semiconductor region to asecond alloy composition proximate to the drain semiconductor region.

In one embodiment, the channel semiconductor region has a compositionalvariation between a first interface with the source semiconductor regionand a second interface with the drain semiconductor region. Asemiconductor compositional variation magnifies a difference intransistor threshold voltage associated with a differentiation in thegate electrode work function.

In one embodiment, a method of fabricating a vertical transistor devicehaving a longitudinal axis perpendicularly oriented to a surface planeof a crystalline substrate includes depositing a source semiconductorregion on the crystalline substrate, depositing a channel semiconductorregion on the source semiconductor region, depositing a drainsemiconductor region on the channel semiconductor region, etchingthrough the drain, channel, and source semiconductor regions to formsidewalls through the drain, channel, and source semiconductor regions.The method further includes forming a gate dielectric region and a gateelectrode on sidewalls of the channel region. The depositing furtherincludes modifying growth conditions to vary the semiconductorcomposition across a thickness of the channel semiconductor region.

In one embodiment, modifying growth conditions to vary the semiconductorcomposition across the thickness of the channel region further comprisesdepositing an enhanced mobility injection region having a compositionwith a first carrier mobility and modifying the growth conditions todeposit a composition of semiconductor having a second carrier mobility,which is lower than that of the enhanced mobility injection region.

In one embodiment, depositing the enhanced mobility injection regionfurther includes depositing a substantially pure Ge region.

In one embodiment, modifying growth conditions to vary the semiconductorcomposition across a thickness of the channel region further includesgrading the composition of the channel semiconductor from a firstinterface with source region to a second interface with the drainregion. In one embodiment, the source, channel, and drain semiconductorregions are group IV or group III-V regions.

In one embodiment, a computing device includes memory to storeelectronic data and a processor coupled to the memory. The processorprocesses electronic data. The processor includes an integrated circuitdie having vertical transistor devices. At least one vertical transistordevice includes a first epitaxial semiconductor region (e.g., sourceregion, drain region) disposed on a substrate, a second epitaxialsemiconductor region (e.g., channel region) disposed on the sourcesemiconductor region, a third epitaxial semiconductor region (e.g.,drain region, source region) disposed on the channel semiconductorregion, and a gate electrode region surrounding sidewalls of thesemiconductor channel region. A composition of at least one of thesemiconductor regions varies along a longitudinal axis that isperpendicular with respect to a surface of the substrate. In oneembodiment, the source semiconductor region has a higher effective massthan that of the channel and drain semiconductor regions. In oneembodiment, the channel semiconductor region has a compositionalvariation between a first interface with the source semiconductor regionand a second interface with the drain semiconductor region.

In one embodiment, the compositional variation further includes agrading of the channel semiconductor region throughout the epitaxialfilm thickness. In one embodiment, the first semiconductor region is asource region, the second semiconductor region is a channel region, andthe third semiconductor region is a drain region, wherein the channelsemiconductor region has a compositional variation between a firstinterface with the source semiconductor region and a second interfacewith the drain semiconductor region. The compositional variation furthercomprises a grading of the channel semiconductor region throughout theepitaxial film thickness. In another embodiment, the first semiconductorregion is a drain region, the second semiconductor region is a channelregion, and the third semiconductor region is a source region.

What is claimed is:
 1. A vertical transistor device, comprising: anepitaxial source semiconductor region disposed on a substrate; anepitaxial channel semiconductor region disposed on the sourcesemiconductor region; an epitaxial drain semiconductor region disposedon the channel semiconductor region; and a gate electrode regionsurrounding a plurality of sidewalls of the semiconductor channelregion, wherein a composition of at least one of the semiconductorregions varies along a longitudinal axis that is perpendicular withrespect to a surface of the substrate.
 2. The vertical transistor deviceof claim 1, wherein the source semiconductor region has a highereffective mass than that of the channel and drain semiconductor regions.3. The vertical transistor device of claim 2, wherein the effective massof the source semiconductor region is approximately twice an effectivemass of the channel and drain semiconductor regions.
 4. The verticaltransistor device of claim 1, wherein the channel semiconductor regionhas a compositional variation between a first interface with the sourcesemiconductor region and a second interface with the drain semiconductorregion.
 5. The vertical transistor device of claim 4, wherein thecompositional variation further comprises a grading of the channelsemiconductor region throughout the epitaxial film thickness.
 6. Thevertical transistor device of claim 4, wherein the channel semiconductorregion comprises a SiGe alloy, and wherein the Ge content is higher atthe first interface than at the second interface, or wherein the channelsemiconductor comprises a In alloy, and wherein the In content is higherat the first interface than at the second interface.
 7. The verticaltransistor device of claim 1, wherein the channel semiconductor issilicon or a SiGe alloy, and wherein the high mobility injection regionis disposed on the source semiconductor region and is composed of Ge. 8.The vertical transistor device of claim 7, wherein the compositionalvariation further comprises a grading of the channel semiconductorregion from the high mobility injection region to the second interface.9. The vertical transistor device of claim 1, wherein the channelsemiconductor region is a different semiconductor material in comparisonto the source and drain semiconductor regions.
 10. A vertical transistordevice, comprising: an epitaxial source semiconductor region disposed ona substrate; an epitaxial channel semiconductor region disposed on thesource semiconductor region; an epitaxial drain semiconductor regiondisposed on the channel semiconductor region; and a gate electroderegion surrounding a plurality of sidewalls of the semiconductor channelregion, wherein a composition of the gate electrode region varies alonga longitudinal axis that is perpendicular with respect to a surface ofthe substrate.
 11. The vertical transistor device of claim 10, wherein acomposition of the gate electrode in contact with the gate dielectricvaries along the longitudinal axis to differentiate a work function froma first level proximate to the source semiconductor region to a secondlevel proximate to the drain semiconductor region.
 12. The verticaltransistor device of claim 10, wherein a work function of the gateelectrode is greater proximate to the drain semiconductor region thanproximate to the source semiconductor region.
 13. The verticaltransistor device of claim 11, wherein the gate electrode composition isgraded from a first alloy composition proximate to the sourcesemiconductor region to a second alloy composition proximate to thedrain semiconductor region.
 14. The vertical transistor device of claim11, wherein the channel semiconductor region has a compositionalvariation between a first interface with the source semiconductor regionand a second interface with the drain semiconductor region, asemiconductor compositional variation to magnify a difference intransistor threshold voltage associated with a differentiation in thegate electrode work function.
 15. A method of fabricating a verticaltransistor device having a longitudinal axis perpendicularly oriented toa surface plane of a crystalline substrate, the method comprising:depositing a source semiconductor region on the crystalline substrate;depositing growing a channel semiconductor region on the sourcesemiconductor region; depositing a drain semiconductor region on thechannel semiconductor region; etching through the drain, channel, andsource semiconductor regions to form a plurality of sidewalls throughthe drain, channel, and source semiconductor regions; and forming a gatedielectric region and a gate electrode on a plurality of channelsemiconductor region sidewalls, wherein the depositing further comprisesmodifying growth conditions to vary the semiconductor composition acrossa thickness of the channel semiconductor region.
 16. The method of claim15, wherein modifying growth conditions to vary the semiconductorcomposition across the thickness of the channel semiconductor regionfurther comprises depositing an enhanced mobility injection regionhaving a composition with a first carrier mobility, and modifying thegrowth conditions to deposit a composition of semiconductor having asecond carrier mobility, lower than that of the enhanced mobilityinjection region.
 17. The method of claim 16, wherein depositing theenhanced mobility injection region further comprises depositingsubstantially pure Ge region.
 18. The method of claim 16, whereinmodifying growth conditions to vary the semiconductor composition acrossa thickness of the channel semiconductor region further comprisesgrading the composition of the channel semiconductor from a firstinterface with source semiconductor region to a second interface withthe drain semiconductor region.
 19. The method of claim 15, wherein thesource, channel, and drain semiconductor regions are group IV or groupIII-V regions.
 20. A computing device, comprising: memory to storeelectronic data; and a processor coupled to the memory, the processor toprocess electronic data, the processor includes an integrated circuitdie having a plurality of vertical transistor devices, at least onevertical transistor device comprising: a first epitaxial semiconductorregion disposed on a substrate; a second epitaxial semiconductor regiondisposed on the first semiconductor region; a third epitaxialsemiconductor region disposed on the second semiconductor region; and agate electrode region surrounding a plurality of sidewalls of the secondsemiconductor region, wherein a composition of at least one of thesemiconductor regions varies along a longitudinal axis that isperpendicular with respect to a surface of the substrate.
 21. Thecomputing device of claim 20, wherein the first semiconductor region hasa higher effective mass than that of the second and third semiconductorregions.
 22. The computing device of claim 20, wherein the firstsemiconductor region is a source region, the second semiconductor regionis a channel region, and the third semiconductor region is a drainregion, wherein the channel semiconductor region has a compositionalvariation between a first interface with the source semiconductor regionand a second interface with the drain semiconductor region.
 23. Thecomputing device of claim 22, wherein the compositional variationfurther comprises a grading of the channel semiconductor regionthroughout the epitaxial film thickness.
 24. The computing device ofclaim 20, wherein the first semiconductor region is a drain region, thesecond semiconductor region is a channel region, and the thirdsemiconductor region is a source region.